1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a water purification reactor for converting water containing an elevated concentration of pathogenic microorganisms into potable water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Potable water is essential for life. While natural potable water sources have been available in the past, reliable sources of untreated, potable water are today virtually nonexistent. This is particularly true in undeveloped countries, primarily along the equator. Water sources in such countries frequently contain pathogenic microorganisms at concentrations that far exceed widely accepted drinking water standards. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide are directly without clean water, and 2.6 billion are without proper sanitation. Furthermore, U.S. AID notes that, in many countries, 80% of illnesses in the population is due to water-borne pathogens. Tragically, because of their immature immune systems, children in developing countries under 5 years of age are particularly impacted by fecally polluted water: 1 child in 5 dies, and 2 of the remaining 4 children are permanently disabled.
Developed countries have responded to a diminished availability of potable water sources by designing and fabricating water treatment facilities that can provide potable water in sufficient quantities and at reasonably affordable costs to serve a human population that may exceed many tens of thousands. Such facilities are affordable, in part, due to economy of scale. The larger the population served by a water treatment facility, and consequently the larger the facility, the more economical such facilities become per capita.
In undeveloped countries, where populations, i.e. villages, settlements, etc., may be relatively isolated and small, appropriate scale conventional water treatment facilities will generally be too expensive. Furthermore, resources for development and operation of a conventional state-of-the-art treatment facility will generally not be available to a local population. Large-scale water treatment facilities are particularly uneconomical and impractical for small and/or rural populations. Even if a water treatment facility could be designed and sited to support several villages, construction and operation would still generally be unaffordable. Meanwhile, the adverse effects of non-potable water on human health continue. Populations in undeveloped countries have no choice but to consume water failing to meet applicable drinking water standards.